Brandon Marshall comes up big when it counts for Jets

Brandon Marshall, who was targeted 13 times and caught 12 passes for 131 yards, runs after a first-half reception against the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015. Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac

HIGHLIGHTS

Brandon Marshall had a season-high 131 receiving yards for the Jets in their victory over the Dolphins Nov. 29. He enjoyed that so much that he did it again against the Giants on Sunday.

But none of those 131 yards meant more than the nine he recorded when he rose above the Giants’ Prince Amukamara for a tying touchdown with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter en route to the Jets’ 23-20 overtime victory.

It was a huge up in what has been an up-and-down season. When it was over, Marshall was full of emotions, from celebrating on the sideline with Fitzpatrick to the wild scene in the locker room after the Jets earned their first regular-season victory over the Giants since Marshall, 31, was a 9-year-old.

“I had tears in my eyes,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. That’s why we play the game. We want to do it together, to fight like that. I know that’s what I enjoy about this game, especially now, coming into this locker room after a win and that raw emotion. You can’t pay for that . . . It’s like, man, we’re grown men and we’re acting like kids now.”

Speaking of which, Marshall engaged in some not-so-grown-up activity when he got into a spat with the Giants’ Cullen Jenkins during the game. Marshall said it began with “off-limits” comments about his wife, Michi.

“There’s not enough money in this world for someone to disrespect my wife,” said Marshall, who said Jenkins later apologized and said he was unaware that Marshall is married when he referenced her.

“I love my wife,” Marshall said. “So there you go, baby, he’s 500 pounds and I went after him. [Jenkins is listed at 6-2, 305 pounds.] He’s a good sport and I appreciate that he apologized.”

Marshall, who was targeted 13 times and caught 12 passes, and the Jets had the last laugh anyway. He and Eric Decker (101 receiving yards) became the first Jets tandem with more than 100 each in a road victory since Al Toon and Wesley Walker at Seattle in 1986.

He improved his season yardage total to 1,062. That made him the first Jet since Jerricho Cotchery in 2007 to pass the 1,000-yard milestone and the first player in NFL history to do so with four different teams.